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"Beau lieu" - A Beautiful Story about a Beautiful Place In 1900, when Georges de Latour's wife, Fernande, first laid eyes on the land that would become their original Rutherford vineyard, she named it "beau lieu," or "beautiful place." Shortly thereafter, de Latour sold his thriving cream of tartar business, bought the four-acre ranch and founded Beaulieu Vi... Read more

"Beau lieu" - A Beautiful Story about a Beautiful Place In 1900, when Georges de Latour's wife, Fernande, first laid eyes on the land that would become their original Rutherford vineyard, she named it "beau lieu," or "beautiful place." Shortly thereafter, de Latour sold his thriving cream of tartar business, bought the four-acre ranch and founded Beaulieu Vineyard with the vision of making Napa Valley wines that would rival those of his native France. De Latour quickly made a name for himself by importing Phylloxera-resistant rootstock from Europe to the recently-ravaged fledgling California wine industry. He also began selling wine to the Catholic Church, establishing a strong relationship that would allow Beaulieu Vineyard to become the only Napa Valley winery to remain in business during Prohibition. In fact, during Prohibition the winery increased its business. After the repeal in 1933, de Latour began searching for someone who could contribute European winemaking expertise. In 1938, he traveled to France and returned with André Tchelistcheff, famed viticulturist and enologist who instituted the philosophy of continuous innovation in vineyard and winery to which we remain dedicated today. Tchelistcheff introduced cold fermentation for white wines, malolactic fermentation for reds and aging red wines in small, French oak barrels. He also tasted the de Latour family's private wine-what they called "Private Reserve"-from the 1936 vintage. This Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine was so distinctive that Tchelistcheff insisted it be bottled and sold as the winery's flagship offering. The result was the inaugural release of Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine that was destined to become Napa Valley's first "cult" Cabernet. Today we continue to turn to innovative practices to craft wines in our bold, classic style. We have become a leader in clonal research, and our BV Clone Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon wines are highly acclaimed. Most recently we completed a new state-of-the-art winery within one of our original buildings. The Georges de Latour Private Reserve Winery utilizes the latest technology in combination with time-honored traditions for the production of this exceptional, wine-the longtime benchmark of Rutherford Cabernet. Read less

A nice ruby color. The aromas display of red cherry and ripe plum. It is medium-bodied wine. The taste is of blackberry, mocha and bing cherry. A tiny bit acidic, yet still well-balanced. There are smoky oak notes and moderate tannins on the finish.

External Reviews for Beaulieu Bv Coastal Merlot

Vintage: 2009
11/27/2012

The wine opens with vibrant red-fruit aromas and sweet baking spices. The palate is smooth and supple, with bright acidity and refined tannins. Raspberries and ripe cherry flavors are met by a sweet oak finish.

This is the kind of wine that allows everyday consumers to experience the joys of a beautifully made dry red wine. Itrsquo;s not a blockbuster, but with the deep berry and stone fruit flavors, pretty tannins and rich, dry texture, itrsquo;s among the best of its class. Kudos to this winery for keeping the price so low. Amazing value.

Dark ruby-violet color. Strong black-cherry, cooked plum and Italian herbs are the dominant scents one immediately finds in this wine. Medium-full bodied, with ripe tannins supporting immediate flavors of black cherry, herbs and a touch of vanilla-oak, this richly flavored wine reveals classic Merlot character in an easy-to-drink style that doesnrsquo;t stint on intensity at a price! Delicious with roast meats, barbecue and other strong flavored dishes.